If the flexible raceway has a relatively long travel and guide channels in which the upper and lower halves of the chain are laid are not used, lateral deviation from the straight course of the chain occurs owing to the axial play of the chain links relative to one another. This leads to the sliding edges of the side walls of upper half of the chain sliding over the outside of the lower transverse webs or transverse walls so that these relatively thin components may be abraded and, in the worst case, destroyed. Furthermore, if there are relatively great deviations form the straight course, the chain may tilt or fall off the side. If there are relatively great lateral deviations, the hinge connections of the chain links are also placed under excessive strain.
In the prior art a flexible raceway is known which forms a lower, approximately rectilinear portion (lower half) which is adjoined, via a turn-around region of more than 180.degree., by an upper, slack region (upper half) of which the lower side slides at least partially on the upper side of the lower half, and some chain links being provided with guide stops which prevent lateral movement of the opposite half of the chain.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,274 granted Jan. 19, 1999 has already disclosed a flexible raceway which forms a lower, approximately rectilinear portion (lower half) which is adjoined, via a turn-around region of more than 180.degree., by an upper, slack region (upper half) of which the lower side slides at least partially on the upper side of the lower half, and some chain links being provided with guide stops which prevent lateral movement of the opposite half of the chain energy guide chains comprising chain links which have, on the outer side of at least one side wall, a guide stop which is constructed, for example, as a slide-like guide stop, star handle or one- or two-armed lever, the guide stops being movable to a limited extent in the plane of the outer side of the chain link side walls or in a plane parallel thereto. In the chain region in which the upper half slides on the lower half, the side walls of the opposite half are overlapped and guided in the running direction of the chain by the guide stops so that, at least in that region, lateral deviations are no longer possible. If during the travel of the flexible raceway the guide stops of the upper half of the chain co-operate with those of the lower half in such a manner that the guide stops of the upper half are turned, pivoted upwards or displaced upwards, the rate of travel of the flexible raceway is limited thereby, because otherwise the holds of the guide stops would be exposed to excessive loads. In addition, the co-operation of the guide stops at high rates of travel entails considerable noise development. This is especially the case when the flexible raceway starting from its connection point, is extended fully in both directions, so that, during travel, each of the guide stops of the upper half of the chain is moved and thus contributes to noise emission. Furthermore, when guide stops are arranged on the side of the side walls, the additional broadening of the flexible raceway and the irregular outer contour, which can easily lead to the side projections' hooking into one another, are disturbing.
The problem of the invention is to provide guiding for flexible raceway in the case of which the above-mentioned disadvantages are eliminated and which, especially, has no troublesome side projections and is easy and inexpensive to manufacture.